Oak Creek Earth Angel Belgian Saison

What better way to enjoy a sunny late afternoon after hiking Bell Rock in Sedona than with a classic Belgian farmhouse ale? Well, I wouldn’t exactly call Oak Creek’s Saison a classic or a particularly faithful representation of the style but it’s a refreshing brew and I was lucky enough to enjoy it on the deck of their brewpub at Tlaquepaque. Hard for any beer to go wrong in that setting. That said, it pours a hazy orange (which looks particularly good against the backdrop of the Sedona red rocks) with a two finger moderately dense white head. Mildly yeasty aroma with fresh citrus and corriander. Crisp and lightly hoppy flavor with herbal notes that tip a bit closer to a wit than a traditional saison. Soft mouthfeel that’s a tad watery for the style but pleasing nonetheless. Crisp and slightly peppery finish. Not a great saison but still apretty well crafted and refreshing brew. It’s their current seasonal offering so you’ll need to head out there within the next several weeks to give it a try.

Sampled on tap @ the brewery...seasonal selection. Bright Florida orange body with a lemon-colored 1/2 inch head. Aroma is citrus and indistinguishable spice...flavor mostly tangerine with minimal banana notes. Wasn’t crisp at all, more of a mandarin hefe...

On tap @ th brewery. Server said it was a seasonal ale. It was served with a big massive Orange wedge floating in the glass. So, I quickly fished the wedge out of the glass and flung it on to the floor. Anyway, annoyed, I fledged on...........Appearance and aroma were pretty much spot on for a saison. It was a little thin in body, but that is probably because it was sloppily poured into a pint glass and lost a whole bunch of fizz. It wasn’t very cold either which was strange. In short, this was a pretty good beer, but it could be enjoyed much more if the bar had any clue how to serve it properly.

Had this on tap at the brewery. Pours a hazed golden with a slight orange hue. Aroma was malty w/ banana spice and rock candy. Medium nectar w/ mellow residual effers. Flavors are on the malty side w/ the usual banana spice but there was also a slight pumpkin thing going on. Interesting enough. It lacked the crispness I find in the usual Saison profile but was a great specimen none the less. It had a mellow lemon rind bittering on the finish. I liked it better cold.